Ban Khlong Luek Border Market (Rong Kluea Market)

Sa Kaeo attractions

Attractions in Thailand

Operating day: Daily

Operating time: 07.00 - 20.00

Ban Khlong Luek Border Market or Talat Rong Kluea is in Ban Khlong Luek, Tambon Tha Kham on Thailand Cambodia border, east to Aranyaprathet town about 6 kilometres, on Highway No.33 (Sa Kaeo Aranyaprathet). To get there from Aranyaprathet, a motored tricycle or tuk tuk can be hired at 20 baht.

The Aranyaprathet international immigration control is 500 metres from Talat Rong Kluea. Passport bearers can pass and travel to the third country with approved visa from the Cambodian Embassy or Consulate. This is the shortest way to travel in Cambodia. There are vans, pick-up trucks for rental service to Poipet, Siam Riap

Tracing its origins to the end of the war in Cambodia, this market is renowned for selling secondhand brand name garments at very cheap prices. Originally, brand name clothes in good condition were donated to Cambodian people through the United Nations. Cambodian people brought the clothes to sell at the Thai border.

At present, there are no more donated clothes. Nevertheless, the market is still popular because of its former business. These days, goods which are on sale there are exported from Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong.

They are bought to be resold at Rong Kluea Market, which is the largest source of secondhand clothes from abroad, while shoes, purses, winter sweaters and jackets will be sorted into containers and shipped to Laem Chabang Sea Port, Chonburi Province. Jeans and other pants are shipped via Cambodias’ Kampongsom Sea Port. Some expensive brand name jeans may be resotred and sent to be sold in Japan.

When goods arrive at Rong Kluea Market, merchants will bring their workers to sort the clothes according to their condition. Then they will specify prices, and clean and fix the garments. Some clothes are restored so expertly that they look good as new; in fact amateur merchants and first-time buyers may not know that the clothes are secondhand.

Shop owners at Rong Kluea Market are mostly Chinese-Cambodian, as well as Vietnamese emigrants from the Cambodian provinces of Phnom Penh, Siemrat and Phra Tabong, while Thais make up only 10 % of the total. The border is open from 7 am – 8 pm. Every day between 7 and 8 am, more than 2,000 Cambodians cross the border.

They can be categorized into 3 groups: the first group consists of workers without bags, who have waited since dawn and rush to open shops for their owners in the market; the second group is made up of merchants who carry their goods by hand, on their shoulders or on their heads; the third group comprises porters who earn their living carrying goods in the market, as well as baggage for tourists travelling to Angkor Wat – Angkor Thom.

When shopping there, visitors are advised to be very thorough and to carefully examine all goods. Since real brand name goods are mixed in with counterfeit ones, keen and lucky eyes may get a pair of 1,500-2,000 baht jeans for just 700 – 950 baht. On the contrary, amateur shoppers often purchase counterfeit goods at a high price.